


the blue ribbon

by Arithra



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Established Relationship, Fade to Black, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Sexual Fantasy, a blue silk ribbon, birthdayboar, getting distracted from work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:20:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28179021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arithra/pseuds/Arithra
Summary: A ribbon wrapped around Felix's wrist proved to be a terrible adversary.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	the blue ribbon

Dimitri was torn from the monotony of paperwork by a brief flash of blue on his bad side. Without thinking, he turned his head to track down the source of the unexpected dash of color. 

It was Felix. Or, more precisely, something on Felix’s wrist, now hidden under his sleeve again. As Dimitri watched, Felix turned his arm to flip a page, and the blue became visible again. A ribbon, silk probably, going by the way the light shone on it. 

Dimitri tilted his head slightly in thought. Why would Felix have a ribbon around his wrist? The only ribbons Felix used were for his hair, and those were always plain. 

He must have stared longer than he thought because Felix noticed his look and paused, looking up from his work. “Is something wrong?” 

Chuckling slightly, Dimitri shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. I just got lost in thought, don’t worry about it.”

Thankfully, his answer seemed to be enough for Felix, who grunted and went back to work. 

It wasn’t nothing, though. 

Dimitri found his gaze wandering back to Felix's wrist and the ribbon wrapped around it. It distracted him again and again. Eventually, Felix groaned, “What is it, boar? You have been distracted all day.”

Dimitri grimaced, knowing he would not get out of answering, though he wasn’t quite sure how to put his distraction into words. Saying something along the lines of ‘ _ You have a ribbon around your wrist, and it’s my color _ ’ would just end up sounding even more ridiculous out loud than it already did in his head. So instead of saying something, he acted.

Felix’s arm was still in front of him, his hand laid out on the paper he had planted on Dimitri’s table. The position pulled back his sleeve slightly and bared his wrist, and, more importantly, the ribbon, to Dimitri’s eyes. The long ends of it dangled down from where it was knotted, brushing across the table.

Dimitri grasped one end and tugged. 

It was softer than he had expected.

“It’s just this,” he told Felix.

Felix blinked, twisting his arm slightly to look at his wrist, but not enough to pull the ribbon from between Dimitri’s fingers. Still, it pulled slightly, making Dimitri’s calluses scrape along the fine fabric. 

“Oh.” Felix looked puzzled. “It’s just a ribbon.”

Dimitri’s lips twitched as he bit back a chuckle. “True, but it’s unusual for you to wear something like this. I was surprised.”

He tugged lightly at the end.

Apparently, Felix had gotten over his puzzlement by now, and rolled his eyes. “Mercedes gave it to me.” He pulled his arm back, and the ribbon slipped from between Dimitri’s fingers. 

“She is trying out some new embroidery techniques, I think.” Felix grasped the end of the ribbon himself, pulled it taunt between his fingers and his arm, and held it out for Dimitri to see. “She said it would suit me. Personally, I think it’s more fitting for you, but you don’t use proper ribbons for that mop you call hair.” The last words were said with disapproval, but Dimitri wasn’t really listening.

Instead, as he gazed at the embroidery, Dimitri’s throat went dry. Felix continued talking, lowering his arms, and clearly not realizing the impact his words--and the embroidery--had on Dimitri. It was a lion, rendered differently from the traditional Faerghus one, some of the stitching--so small and almost invisible due to the similar colors of ribbon and thread--made it almost look like it was wearing an eyepatch.

“She handed it to me this morning, so I could hardly use it today.” Felix’s brow furrowed. “The embroidery will probably help it stay in my hair.”

Dimitri licked his lips and swallowed. “I see.” He forced a chuckle. “I will try not to get distracted by it again.”

Felix hummed, popping his hand on his hip and giving him a critical look. The ribbon fell down along the side of his leg, and the brilliant blue contrasted sharply with the dark fabric of his pants.

“Good. Can we get back to work now? We have enough to do as it is.”

“Yes, of course. My apologies.” Dimitri forced himself to return his attention to the papers of his desk. He listened to the sound of Felix's footsteps as he went to the side of Dimitri’s desk and started rustling through the papers, getting them in order.

Then, with a deep sigh, Dimitri started to read the paper Felix had put in front of him.

The rest of the afternoon was a strange, yet curiously tantizing bit of torture. Half-hidden as it mostly was by Felix’s long-sleeved overcoat, the ribbon tended to disappear from sight depending on how Felix moved. Whenever Dimitri had almost managed to get it out of his mind and refocus on his work, Felix would shift, and just like that--with a flash of Blaiddyd blue--Dimitri’s attention would be snatched away again. 

Sometimes, it was the sight of the ribbon wrapped around Felix’s wrist, the broad ribbon making it look slim and delicate, as Felix stretched out his arm to reach across the table. Other times, it was just the end of it falling out of Felix’s sleeve, trailing along the paper Felix was working on--a stark contrast between the turquoise of his clothes and the ribbon itself.

Worst of all though was Felix himself absentmindedly rubbing the end of the ribbon between his fingers deep in thought, or wrapping it around his fingers before tucking it away when he remembered himself.

All in all it really wasn’t a productive evening work-wise.

Dimitri found himself reading the same line again and again. One moment he was reading about taxes and the next--

What would it be like to trace the ribbon with his fingers? To feel the contrast between Felix’s hot skin--flushed with pleasure--and the cool silk ribbon embroidered with a lion symbolizing Dimitri. What would it be like to pull on it and have it leave red marks on Felix’s skin, and have Felix strain against the delicate fabric in his color? What would it be like to unwrap it from Felix’s wrist and kiss the skin underneath? How would the ribbon look like wrapped around his neck, his leg, his chest? What if the ribbon was longer? Long enough to wrap all around Felix, for Dimitri to unravel?

He would let his fingers trace the ribbon, and use his teeth to--

A sharp rapping sound ripped Dimitri from his pleasing thoughts. He startled, jerking upright in his seat and found himself face to face with Felix, who was giving him an unimpressed look. Felix was no longer at the table next to Dimitri. Instead, he was standing right in front of the desk, arms crossed over his chest (and the blue ribbon visible as the sleeve was pulled back).

“Hey, boar, where is your mind going?”

Dimitri fumbled for an answer. “Yes? I mean, yes. I am here.”

There was a pause, and he found himself the target of Felix’s unimpressed look. “Whatever you say.” 

He gestured towards Dimitri’s side desk where Felix had been ordering the papers (and the blue ribbon). “I’m finished with your horrible paperwork. The right stack is the urgent stuff, as always. If you still remember it.” 

His sharp look made quite clear what he thought of Dimitri’s poor work ethic and distraction today.

Clearing his throat awkwardly and shifting in his seat--which led to a revelation that made him feel even more awkward--Dimitri attempted a smile. “Thank you, Felix. What would I do without you?”

“Drown in paperwork.”

Ah. Probably. Felix was surprisingly keen on organisation. 

Dimitri chuckled and was pleased to see a small smile appear on Felix’s face. Unfortunately, it didn’t last very long. 

Instead, the unimpressed look from earlier was gone for good, now replaced with an expression that made Dimitri wish to have the irritation back.

Worry. He didn’t like seeing worry on Felix’s face, even if a small part of him still relished in the fact that Felix worried for him at all.

“Are you alright?” Felix’s question would have sounded uninterested to most, but Dimitri had long since relearned the art of reading Felix’s expression and intonation after their distance. It was a skill he was very fond of. 

“You have been distracted all afternoon. Is something wrong?”

“No, of course not.” He smiled at Felix, and it came easily, because there really wasn’t anything wrong. His preoccupation--for once--was of a pleasant nature. “I have just been a bit distracted.”

“Oh?”

An excuse was needed. “Ah, my birthday is coming up, and I’m actually looking forward to the celebration.”

He truly was, it would be nice to see all of their friends again. 

“Yes.” There was something weighted about the way Felix said that word. “Your birthday.”

Dimitri’s gaze had wandered away from Felix's face as they talked, but the tone made his eyes snap up (and away from his wrist) again.

“Felix?”

Felix looked deep in thought, his eyes fixed on a point above Dimitri’s shoulder, but at the call of his name he looked at him again and shrugged.

“Very well, far be it from me to ruin your enjoyment, boar. But--” and here he rapped Dimitri’s desk with his knuckles again, the way he must have done to catch his attention initially. “You’ll have more time to enjoy your birthday if you finish your paperwork beforehand.”

Grimacing, Dimitri nodded. It earned him a huffing laugh.

“Get started.” And the fondness he could hear in Felix’s voice made him feel warm.

Felix moved away from Dimitri’s desk and made his way over to the other desk at the sight of the room. There was more paperwork on it, but these papers only required Felix to look over them. Usually, the desk stood facing Dimitri’s own, but with the Ethereal Moon celebration going on, it had been moved to the side to make room for decorations, leaving Felix’s desk to face the wall instead.

With Felix’s back to him now, the ribbon distraction technically should have been over.

It wasn’t.

Even Felix with all his diligence and perseverance was not prone to sitting still for multiple hours. Not without stretching, or reaching for papers across his own or Dimitri’s table. Dimitri continued to force himself to work regardless. Felix did not like distractions or breaks before the important matters were handled, and with Dimitri’s upcoming birthday, there was even more to do. 

When they finally retired for the evening, Dimitri could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. Felix might have noticed his distraction, but at least he hadn’t noticed what exactly he had been distracted by. 

**\--**

Fortunately, yet unfortunately, the ribbon was gone the next day, and things went back to normal. Outside of his dreams, Dimitri all but forgot about it. And by the time his birthday rolled around, there were many other things to preoccupy himself with. 

The day itself was a surprisingly nice day for the Ethereal Moon, and Dimitri took a step back from most of his work to spend some time with his friends before the celebration ball in the evening. For once, he did not feel weighed down and tired, and instead took joy in the far too elaborate celebration. He even managed to talk Felix into dancing with him, despite the other’s complaints.

It was a good day in all senses of the word.

By the time Dimitri finally returned to his chambers, he was exhausted, and unprepared for the sight of Felix in his bedchamber. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence of course, but Felix had retired early, so Dimitri had thought he would sleep in his own rooms tonight. 

His presence was a pleasant surprise. Suddenly the thought of curling up in bed, this time with Felix, was even more tempting. 

“Felix.” 

At the sound of his voice, Felix stiffened then turned, crossing his arms before his chest almost defensively. The movement drew Dimitri’s eyes to his wrist, or more specifically the blue ribbon wrapped around it.

Dimitri swallowed, and forced his eyes away, and up to meet Felix’s own, if only briefly. Felix was the one who broke eye contact this time, but he looked faintly pleased.

“Well,” Felix awkwardly cleared his throat, refusing to look at Dimitri again, “It’s your birthday.”

Then, without waiting, he shrugged aside his jacket, and kicked off his boots. The movement was smooth and grateful, and Dimitri absentmindedly noticed that Felix must have planned this. Usually, getting Felix out of the boots and gaiters was a whole production, not that Dimitri minded really, but--

Whatever thoughts Dimitri might have had about Felix and planning fled from his mind as the sight that was revealed to him. It was the blue ribbon. Around his wrists, around his  _ ankles _ , and flashing through the gaps of his collar at his throat.

Felix was wrapped up in it.

Dimitri’s breath caught. His fingers twitched, itching to touch.

Felix’s eyes flickered to his, and whatever he saw made him raise his chin proudly, “What are you waiting for?” he asked imperiously, reaching towards Dimitri with one hand, and the end of the ribbon dangled from his wrist. “Unwrap your gift, boar.”

Dimitri did, and he took his time with it, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy boarsday, Dimitri! 
> 
> And thank you for Emma and Maddy for taking another look at this!


End file.
